When now we have big, landscape-shifting weeks in college football, the up to date rankings could be a few of the most tough to kind out. As a result of whereas the early weeks have some easy strikes of winners going up and losers falling, this level within the season brings sufficient complication that head-to-head outcomes start to battle and it creates a puzzle for voters within the AP High 25 ballot.
The truth is, in keeping with CBS Sports activities Analysis, Week 5 was the primary time greater than three AP top-five groups misplaced this early within the season since 2008. Losses for No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 LSU and No. 5 Georgia have opened up the highest of the rankings, permitting winners like Oregon and Ole Miss to make main strikes on the high of the ballot.
Alabama will definitely be on the rise after beating Georgia in Athens, logging a win that solidifies the Crimson Tide as a professional menace nonetheless to win the SEC. However whereas that victory might, in concept, make Alabama the highest-ranked one-loss crew, the profile can also be impacted by the very fact their loss got here to Florida State, which will likely be falling within the rankings after dropping at Virginia.
Bowl projections: SEC, Massive Ten personal School Soccer Playoff subject with Alabama, Oregon, Ole Miss amongst risers
Brad Crawford
Voters additionally need to wrestle with how a lot they’re keen to penalize Penn State after dropping at residence to Oregon in double-overtime, in addition to whether or not they’re snug holding Ohio State because the No. 1 crew within the nation contemplating the Geese’ spectacular street win in Completely happy Valley. There have been 55 AP voters who had Ohio State within the high spot final week, and there wasn’t an excessive amount of to complain about with how the Buckeyes received by double digits in opposition to Washington in Seattle, but the assertion made by Dan Lanning’s crew on Saturday night time on an enormous stage will kickstart a debate that needs to be mirrored in a extra balanced dispersion of first-place votes.
Here is how we challenge the brand new AP High 25 to take care of Week 5:
1. Ohio State (Final week — 1): A dominant defensive efficiency spurred the Buckeyes 24-6 win at Washington. Whereas Julian Sayin and the Ohio State offense may not have put up large numbers, it was a sport the No. 1 crew appeared completely satisfied to win by any margin because it was their first street take a look at of the season.
2. Oregon (6): As we talked about earlier, there will likely be a robust assortment of first-place votes for Oregon that may create an incredible debate concerning the No. 1 crew within the nation following the Geese’ double-overtime win at Penn State. Voter and ballot inertia might hold the swap from taking place this week — and even subsequent week because the Geese are off — however that is about to change into a weekly debate till both the Bucks or Geese take their first lack of the season.
3. Miami (2): The Hurricanes had been off in Week 5 and will likely be again in motion subsequent week in opposition to Florida State.
4. Ole Miss (13): Lane Kiffin’s AP ballot peak with Ole Miss was No. 5 final September, and this system hasn’t been larger than that since 2015. All of these benchmarks are on the desk after the Rebels dealt with enterprise in opposition to LSU in a sport that Ole Miss managed a bit greater than the 24-19 closing rating may point out.
5. Oklahoma (7): The Sooners had been off in Week 5 and will likely be again in motion subsequent week in opposition to Kent State.
6. Texas A&M (9): Now at 4-0 for the primary time since 2016, Texas A&M backed up its assertion win in opposition to Notre Dame in Week 3 with a hard-fought victory in opposition to Auburn. The 16-10 consequence demanded that the Aggies protection ship in what was certainly one of their greatest video games of the season, whereas Le’Veon Moss did the laborious work offensively on the bottom with a career-high 139 speeding yards.
7. Penn State (3): We’re not projecting a serious fall for the Nittany Lions after a double-overtime loss to a crew that many citizens will take into account the very best within the nation. Penn State will get credit score for roaring again from a deficit to pressure additional time, however finally will now want some high quality wins to climb again into the highest 5.
8. Texas (10): The Longhorns had been off in Week 5 and will likely be again in motion subsequent week in opposition to Florida.
9. Indiana (11): You’ll be able to name it a letdown, a hangover spot or a lure sport, however the Hoosiers are nonetheless 5-0 after getting out and in of Kinnick Stadium with a win. Iowa had the sport performed on their phrases and even had probabilities to take the lead late, but it surely was Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana protection that got here by means of late to maintain the Hoosiers unbeaten.
10. Texas Tech (12): The Purple Raiders had been off in Week 5 and will likely be again in motion subsequent week at Houston.
11. Alabama (17): This can be a complicated profile for voters to parse as they fill out their ballots. On one hand we simply watched Alabama go into Athens and win in opposition to a Georgia crew that was beforehand inside the highest 5. However it’s nonetheless a one-loss squad with a defeat at Florida State, which will likely be dropping within the rankings after dropping to unranked Virginia. The ceiling is for Alabama to be round No. 8, whereas that is in all probability the ground simply outdoors the highest 10.
12. Georgia (5): The Bulldogs have a reasonably simple adjustment within the rankings for a lot of voters. With a win in opposition to Tennessee and a loss to Alabama, Georgia will fall someplace between the sting of the highest 10 to No. 14 or No. 15 after falling 24-21 at residence to the Crimson Tide.
13. Iowa State (14): Out of an off week, Iowa State returned to motion refreshed and jumped throughout Arizona early with a 22-0 lead it defended the remainder of the way in which in a snug residence win. The Cyclones at the moment are 5-0 on the 12 months and really a lot within the combine for the Massive 12 title and a spot within the School Soccer Playoff.
14. Vanderbilt (18): The Commodores are 5-0 for the primary time since 2008 after a 55-35 win in opposition to Utah State that noticed Diego Pavia complete six touchdowns and the offense rating 40-plus factors for the fourth time this season. Up subsequent is a rematch of final 12 months’s traditional in opposition to Alabama, this time in Tuscaloosa.
15. Tennessee (15): Caught in an absolute dogfight with Mississippi State in Starkville, the Vols obtained a game-tying landing run in regulation from quarterback Joey Aguilar after which a game-winning defensive cease in additional time to flee with a win and enhance to 4-1 on the season. The sport featured seven lead adjustments and 75 complete factors earlier than it was all mentioned and executed, however the Vols transfer on to October with a decent résumé in the case of the rankings.
16. Georgia Tech (16): Do not be stunned if the Yellow Jackets quit a spot or two within the rankings after needing additional time to flee Winston-Salem with a 30-29 win in opposition to Wake Forest. It is not simply that the margin was nearer than anticipated, Brent Key’s crew trailed 20-3 within the third quarter earlier than turning issues round. It was a big-stage sport within the early slate that obtained loads of “upset alert” buzz, so voters might knock Georgia Tech sufficient on their ballots for some minor changes within the consensus rankings.
17. LSU (4): The drop for LSU might be aggressive given the truth that the Tigers’ resume has taken a success with Clemson’s regression. Popping out of Week 1, that win within the different Demise Valley regarded like probably the greatest nonconference victories of the season, however now it is the offensive struggles which are the first storyline and a 20-10 victory in opposition to Florida the very best win on the profile.
18. Missouri (20): There should not be an excessive amount of of an adjustment after Missouri’s win in opposition to UMass, although now at 5-0 there’s an argument that the Tigers are able to be in comparison with the opposite undefeated groups within the ballot.
19. Florida State (8): The win in opposition to Alabama goes to assist cushion the autumn for Florida State after dropping to unranked Virginia on the street in double additional time on Friday night time. The Seminoles’ placement will differ enormously throughout ballots, however within the consensus this looks like a smart spot for Mike Norvell’s squad to land after the upset loss.
20. Illinois (23): The Combating Illini now have 5 wins in opposition to AP-ranked groups because the begin of final season after taking down USC with a walk-off subject aim to win 34-32. It wasn’t the very best sport for Illinois, but it surely required some actual perseverance. At 4-1 with solely a loss to Indiana the Illini are poised to see some constructive bounce again from final week’s drop within the rankings.
21. Michigan (19): The Wolverines had been off in Week 5 and will likely be again in motion subsequent week in opposition to Wisconsin.
22. Notre Dame (22): We might be in line for a sequence of lopsided outcomes coming from Notre Dame if the Combating Irish are going to run it up on opponents the identical approach they did final season when their playoff future was hanging within the stability each week. Notre Dame was on the fallacious finish of the turnover battle in its 56-13 win in opposition to Arkansas, however voters ought to get ready for a sluggish climb within the rankings if this efficiency is a glimpse of what is forward within the coming weeks.
23. BYU (25): The Cougars fell behind early in opposition to Colorado. however did an excellent job responding, outscoring the Buffs 21-7 over the ultimate three quarters of the sport to win 24-21 and enhance to 4-0 on the season.
24. Utah (NR): The Utes had been bounced from the rankings after the double-digit loss to Texas Tech at residence two weeks in the past, however a 48-14 thrashing of West Virginia on the street in Morgantown ought to provide sufficient proof to maneuver them from twenty ninth up into the highest 25.
25. Memphis (NR): Beating Arkansas put Memphis on the map for AP High 25 voters, and the Tigers checked in at thirty first in final week’s balloting. Beating FAU particularly does not enhance their inventory as a lot as merely being 5-0 with a win in opposition to an SEC crew, however the high-scoring consequence in opposition to the Owls definitely will not damage.
Projected to drop out of the rankings: No. 21 USC, No. 24 TCU
